When Darkness Falls: Rebirth
by EmperorNewo
Summary: Begins after the last chapter of Deathly Hallows book 7 but before the Prologue. This story will veer so far of course you will need binoculars to see it because there will be new magic, love interests, a variety of places and a need to find who Harry Potter really is. This will contain SLASH (Same Sex Pairing) and be an adventure out of Rowling's world and into Mine :) *ON HIATUS*
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

_"Bombarda!" _

_"Tarantallegra!"_

Harry and Hermione, both of whom were hiding in separate doorframes, looked at Ron incredulously, even Ron looked sheepish.

_"Avada Kedavra"_

As a sickly green light hit Ron's doorframe sending splinters everywhere, Harry and Hermione spun out of the cover perfectly and sink, twin stunners hitting the black cloaked figure at the end of the hallway, before Ron could even blink. Hermione looked at Ron again, with a hint of amusement as Harry went and restrained the Death Eater they had just taken down. "Ron of all things you throw at a Death Eater who was casting a spell that could cause serious damage, you throw a dancing Hex," Hermione said giving Ron a "You're in trouble now" look.

"Hey he caught us by surprise; I thought we had got rid of all them from this dam house."

"Constant Vigilance" Harry quoted.

Ron shook his head ruefully "You won't let me live this down will you?" Hermione just grinned evilly in return. After they checked the rest of the house they went downstairs, carefully floating the 6 captured Death Eaters around the remains of furniture; the fight had been intense but luckily the Death Eaters where only good at casting minor spells with only one successful Avada Kedavra cast.

"All of them where just fresh recruits, hoping the Fidelius would protect them from anyone and everyone." Harry said, sadness casting a shadow over his face, the weight of all the deaths still weighing heavily on his shoulders. _'The Final Battle was a time to rejoice and mourn, we had won but with the price of so many dead.'_ Harry reflected as he, Ron and Hermione all apparated from the main hall of Number 12 Grimmauld Place to place the Death Eater recruits in the care of the jumbled up mess that was the Ministry Auror office.

A rhythmic thumping interrupted Harry sleep, he started awake, wand jumping in hand trained on the door of Sirius's bedroom, Harry couldn't call it his, not yet. As his ears strained to work out the strange thumping noises coming from Ron and Hermione's room his eyes wondered over the freshly cleaned rooms, the house still had the unmistakable darkness that brooded inside its walls, but with Kreacher back and magic flowing freely the house was at-least clean.

Then it hit him, he knew what Ron and Hermione where doing! Hermione had been obsessed with the challenge of removing Walburga Black from the wall of Grimmauld Place. She was trying various spells and mixtures of spells on a piece of parchment Ron permanently stuck on her wall, hoping to be able to break the parchment's spell, then moving on to Walburga's portrait. So far she wasn't getting anywhere and Ron kept telling her after being woken up every time, "It's a bloody Spell made to be permanent, AKA. You can't break it!"

So far Hermione had just scoffed and replied with variants of "Any spells has a way around it, you just need enough power, the right words and the right time." Most of which quoted some magical theory Harry had never heard of but should've, which sort of irked Harry, before Voldemort he had only ever thought about living and winning against Voldemort but now the whole world had opened up in front of him, a world without a homicidal maniac constantly chasing him and his friends. Harry had decided to learn, and become someone he would be happy with being, not someone the world needed.

As he stepped into the en-suite bathroom and ran the shower hot enough to shame a dragon, well at least almost, he heard a muffled "Jeesh Hermione, come back to bed, it's snugly and warm." Harry chuckled knowing that it was a lost cause for poor Ron.

With the shower off and a towel wrapped around his waist Harry entered Sirius's bedroom to see his clothes laid out on the bed for him, _'Kreacher, you really have grown on me.'_ The thought came with a grin; he noticed something different, something square and black out of the corner of his eye. Cautiously shuffling nearer he realised it was a book, the book was sitting on Sirius's desk, directly in the centre of the front cover there was a single line engraved with an elegant silver script,

**_'The Black Manor's Heir Book'_**

Harry was curious, _'Heck I shouldn't really touch it should I? Well it might not hurt; hmm it's probably best to call Kreacher.'_

"Kreacher," Harry called softly, eyes never leaving the book, which Harry felt a strange attraction to.

"Yes Master Harry sir? Did I lay out clothes that were not right sir?" Kreacher said after popping in.

"No Kreacher, the clothes are perfect." Harry beamed at Kreacher to show his thankfulness, "I was just wondering about this book, it seems to have appeared out of nowhere and I thought you might know about it?"

As Kreacher peered at the book his eyes widened, _'WOW I didn't think that possible'_ Harry mentally chuckled.

"Master Harry!" Kreacher squeaked falling at Harry's knees "I knews you were a kind and good master before but the house has chosen you to be the new heir." He blubbered with big tears rolling down his face.

"Kreacher why are you crying? And what do you mean the house has chosen me?"

"I am happy sir, this house has much magic built into it! It used to be big and grand and easy to clean! But the wards and magic became dormant long ago, just before Mr Orion and Mrs Walburga Black became the owners. I remember when I felt the wards shift and slip towards being dormant, it happened over time but soon the house had darkened and became resistant to cleaning, also many rooms had sealed up and disappeared and no one but Kreacher noticed and if I mentioned it they would look me funny. The magic of the house closed and hid its secrets to those that weren't what it deemed worthy!" by the end of the long explanation Kreacher was taking big gulps of air, he had forgotten to breath in his rush to tell Harry all about the house and its wards.

"So what? The house has recognised me as the true heir, but why has this happened now? And what makes me worthy to be heir when others of the actual family weren't?" Harry was getting more and more confused, he didn't know much about wards and his lack of knowledge was showing.

"Master Harry, the magic of the house and its protection only runs at a very low power now. It took it time to determine what was happening in its house, the wards are slightly sentient and can determine people's abilities but it takes much power to scan someone and it needed to gather the magic to do so! As no one has told the wards who the actual heir of Black is it needed to find the person, it probably scanned Mister Weasley while you were staying here because he has pure blood that is untainted unlike yours is sir."

Frowning at the slight Kreacher made about his blood, Harry processed the information. Ever since getting rid of Voldermort's soul everything seemed easier to think through, his head felt less full. "So let me get this straight the house has chosen me to be its rightful heir, and if I claim it the house will become less dingy and show us previously unknown rooms." Harry's excitement at the prospect of finding and exploring something new bubbling to the surface.

"Yes sir, I don't know why It choose you though. Maybe the book will explain!"

With a firm nod Harry went to the desk and sat down, carefully opening the book's cover Harry started reading the introduction.

**_To those that are reading this book I welcome you,_**

**_To start of I shall explain the very house and wards you are inside of at this moment. Long ago it became apparent that the Black family needed a grand townhouse, so I took it upon myself (and a multitude of muggle workers) to build the most dangerous and revered house in the land. The muggles may disgust you but do not fear the disgusting creatures were only used to create the base frame as they were the quickest tool I had on hand and their life was used for a better cause afterwards. During the construction I designed and added as many runes as possible to the houses frame, at the time I wasn't sure of the exact nature of the house so I built it to be grand, powerful and above all dangerous._**

**_The muggles actually became a key factor in the construction of the wards and house, with their life and souls I was able to use the power the given of in death to create a permanent anchor into the river of magic (or magic lines) that ran underneath the supports. This was a tiring and messy job but in the end it was perfect as it gave me almost unlimited amounts of power to keep the wards running. Soon with much magic and many favours called in the house was complete and fully furnished. I activated the wards completely that night with the whole family in attendance, to say that the raw energy the wards possessed was an understatement and even now I feel the siren's song of power ghost its way through my link with the wards._**

**_The wards shall be yours to use soon and if you are reading this book it means that some of my line was deemed unworthy and you have the ability to awaken the power of the Black Family!_**

Harry finished reading the introduction, looking up at Kreacher he saw him waiting patiently a couple of steps behind the chair. "You can look too Kreacher!" He exclaimed realising why Kreacher hadn't commented on the book yet.

"Thankyou Master Harry, I would like that very much so." As he quickly scanned the page Harry reflected on the words, with a pang of sadness he realised that many innocent and normal muggles had been destroyed by another dark wizard. "Sir I know you is being sad but please do not let it trouble you too much, what's done is done."

"Thanks Kreacher, I will try but no promises. What is the meaning of magic lines? I feel like I've heard of them but can't remember what they are exactly." He was again being frustrated with what he suspected was holes in his education.

"Magic is everywhere sir! But in some spot's and whole lines of the earth the magic is stronger and easier to access than normally, many important Wizarding areas are built on top of sites like these. Hogwarts is, Diagon Alley is and so is other Wizarding towns, but this house is tied into the magic lines even more directly than Hogwarts is because of the death magic that was harnessed when the house was created."

"Wow" Harry replied, his thoughts running a mile a minute to process this information and try to imagine the immensity of magic that must be able to be accessed by the house. "Thankyou Kreacher for all the info, I might read a bit more after I get dressed." smirking as he realised that the towel was still his only form of protection "I will be down for breakfast later on, and I will discuss this with Ron and Hermione."

"Brilliant sir, I will eagerly await your decision for the house." With a pop the smartly dressed elf (Harry had gotten Kreacher to take a nicer looking uniform when they moved back in) disapparated to somewhere to continue his duties.

With a great stretch Harry stood up and perused what Kreacher had laid out, normal straight black jeans with a gold flecked deep red V-neck shirt. Harry was still amazed at what Kreacher had bought him, with it being a strange clash between normal muggle clothes and with some strangely colored Wizarding attire thrown in randomly but Harry liked whatever Kreacher got him, it was nice to have good clothes that fit him and in most cases accentuated Quidditch developed muscles that were originally hidden by his baggy clothes.

The room still had posters that Sirius had stuck to the walls, but instead of making Harry depressed it made him happy that he could enjoy at least some of the posters that Sirius had. Harry had grown up in his time searching for Horcruxes and his experience of being hit by a Killing curse again had taught him a lot, things might not be perfect but he now knew how to deal with life's imperfections. With a smile harry finished dressing and moved back to the desk, the book might be written be someone evil and horrid but it was the key to make the Black Manor something good.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Harry that's amazing!" Hermione exclaimed with joy lacing her voice.

"I know Hermione and it is pretty amazing, just from the brief read I had it looks like the amount of things we could do to this house is amazing." Harry was pretty excited too, he knew that the house held many secrets and the magic involved in just unlocking the secrets would be a new experience. "But before we unlock the house's secrets I would like to read the book. It's better to be safe than sorry."

"Just as long as you don't let Hermione have a peak, we'd have to drag her away from it." Ron joked.

The person in question just huffed and replied with put on tones "Just because I find my current company as boring as Professor Binn's History class, doesn't mean that you peasants will be forgotten." Hermione finished grinning.

With a shrug that was done with practiced ease Ron replied "Peasant is the best insult you can throw at us today Hermione? You must be losing your touch!" Then before any retaliation returned he dug into the feast that Kreacher had prepared for breakfast. Hermione just shook her head and tucked into her breakfast while perusing the Daily Prophet, which Kreacher would collect every morning. The newspaper was trying to reorganise itself after the shambles that was left by Voldermort's defeat, when the Death Eaters stopped forcing the place to print false stories it was found that a lot of work would be needed to fix it's reputation.

As Harry sat and ate his breakfast of sausage and scrambled eggs he reflected upon the main news that was printed in the newspaper, apart from the huge celebration among the British Wizarding world the only thing that was printed was the list of the dead. Many people had died in the Battle of Hogwarts and just normally in their homes for no real reason except that the Death Eaters had gotten bored. The weight of their deaths weighed on Harry, he knew intellectually that it wasn't his fault they were dead but he still grieved for the amount of people that had died. Ron especially had moments when he seemed to feel a great sadness as the loss of Fred had damaged the Weasley family more than expected.

Harry finished up his breakfast nursing a cool glass of pumpkin juice, still reminiscing about Fred. The funeral had been beautiful but very sad as it really struck home that Fred, Lupin and Tonks were all gone. Molly had been adamant that they attend as many people's funerals as they could, the past few weeks were a blur as Harry had met many people thanking him for not just defeating Voldermort but also for attending the funerals for those that fought alongside him. It was a strange time for the Wizarding world, with celebration and mourning coming hand in hand.

"Hey look at this!" Hermione suddenly said, shattering Harry's train of thought. Harry peered at the paper she was showing to him and Ron.

**_Hogwarts to Reopen_**

**_It has been announced today by the newly reformed board of Hogwarts that the school will be reopening in time for the normal opening day. The school will be undergoing massive repair work but the reopening of the school was claimed to be the first thing on the Ministry's agenda. Minerva McGonagall was appointed the new Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry issuing the statement that "The school will be completely free from left over spell damage and magical hazards by the time that we start school term. Only the North Tower, which used to host our Divination classes, has been determined too structurally unsound to be entered." Many in our community have rejoiced that the opening of the famous school will continue and that Headmistress McGonagall had even planned ahead saying "To all those that were under the tutelage of Hogwarts last year, their shall be various catch up programmes run during the school year to fix your broken tutelage in certain subjects. Also any of last year's 7th years will be allowed to return to properly learn the skills needed to become an outstanding wizard within our community." Without a doubt the reopening of Hogwarts will be perceived as the beginning of a new peace for the Wizarding world._**

**_Written by Marcus Belmonte._**

"Bloody hell, that's awesome!" Ron shouted happily, garnering looks of disbelief from Harry and Hermione. "What? It would be good to be able to just relax at school without any plots going on around us. I think I'm gonna enjoy my last year at Hogwarts." A look of deviousness crossing Ron's face.

"Ronald Weasley, you will not be mucking around in our last year at Hogwarts. This will be our most important year ever." Hermione exclaimed, already looking frazzled by the very idea of how much work she was going to do unnecessarily.

"So what are you guys going back to Hogwarts?" Harry queried "I thought you were going to have to get your parents back Hermione?"

"What? No Harry, when I cast the spell I made up a sentence and picture that they would have to see to be able to remember everything again. Makes the need to find them unneeded because I've already sent a long distance owl with the stuff and a really long apology letter." Hermione replied, the memory of what she had to do still making her heart ache. While she wouldn't admit it, she secretly worried that they would hate her for what she had to do and she just hoped they would see the importance of her doing what she did.

"That was smart Hermione." Ron said while giving her a look of amazement. "I wouldn't even have a clue about how to cast the memory spell properly, let alone giving it a trigger."

"Yes I agree Ron, how do you learn all this stuff 'Mione?" Harry asked curious, with his head cocked to the side.

"I read Harry; I can't wait to get back to Hogwarts! Then I'll have full access to that wonderful library."

With a groan Ron slumped down in his chair his hair partially obscuring his face. Ron had decided to grow his hair longer, he wanted a change and a fresh start after the war and this was one of his ways of doing so. "So you're going back to Hogwarts?" Harry queried, bringing the conversation back on track before Ron and Hermione started bickering about studying habits… again.

"Of course Harry. Why wouldn't we? Our schooling is very important!" Then the look of consternation which had occupied her face melted into a warmer more compassionate look. "Don't you want to go back Harry? I know that it has a lot of memories attached to it, especially from the battle but you must work through them and face them. I can get you a book to help you deal with it because if you continue to bottle up your emotions you will spiral into despair and in the end depression."

Annoyance briefly flickered across Harry's face as he listened to another one of Hermione's insistent conversations about how he needs help. "Listen Hermione, I'm fine, Full-Stop. I'm not spiralling into depression, I'm not going to start overdosing on potions and I'm not gonna read a god-dam book about how fucked up I should be and how to fix it by believing this world is full of daisies and sunshine." Harry finished with a cold stare directed straight at Hermione.

"But Harry it is fine to admit that you ha…."

"Nothing wrong with me! You are so into believing that I should be depressed that you're creating symptoms where there are none, we have had this conversation before and I have never been able to create a proper defence which explains some of my changed reactions towards things but with our stay here and me confronting some memories I hadn't had time to deal with before things have become clear." Taking a breath to continue with his rant Hermione saw her chance and dived in, biased logic full swing.

"That's what you would be doing to hide it from everyone, including yourself! Create a story to cover serious wounds to your psyche that this war has dealt upon you, you're not alone, both Ron and I are still having issues dealing with what has happened. We talk about it though, which makes a difference, it has stopped me from having as many nightmares and has helped Ron with the pain caused by loss."

Harry just stared at her; one thing that he had learnt from the Dursley's was to shut out the pain, wether emotional or physical. He knew that he had shut out some of it but only that of losing Remus, Tonks and Fred. The other deaths had been terrible but he accepted that they were unstoppable. As Harry stared at Hermione and his brilliant emerald green eyes bored into Hermione's his already cold face took on an even harder and powerful appearance. "Understand this Hermione, I will not be preached to again. I've never been given emotional support after anything that has happened to me before, I killed someone in first year, I destroyed a beast that makes grown wizards cower in fear in my second, I faced countless dementors which brought up memories of the night my parents died in my third. Should I go on? Fourth year I was abandoned by my friends to face challenges only people of age should participate in with the knowledge that it is very possible to die while competing. Do you see? I never once got help and I always got shipped back to the Dursley's who hated everything about me! Do you not think that would warrant at least one therapy session! The incredible thing is I have learnt to deal with what life has given me and others then move on, what I have realised is different is that I finally understand what loss is and I have learnt and matured from it." Inexplicable rage had bubbled up, vibrating underneath Harry's skin fogging his mind and sparking his magic off which was currently un-noticed but his clothes were rippling gently around him.

Hermione was standing there, shock clearly printed on her features as the look and words Harry used towards her had combined themselves and struck a gaping wound upon her emotions. Hermione had never realised what Harry had dealt with properly, and the reaction Harry had caused by his very voice had created a sudden epiphany that had her cringing and crying for forgiveness. At least that's what would have happened next if Ron didn't intrusively enter their staring contest by punching Harry straight in the nose.

As Harry fell backwards and landed on his ass skidding a bit Ron shouted in anger "How dare you say you've got it bad! My family is in mourning over Fred, he didn't get so goddam lucky as you did, hey? You Fuckwit, speaking to a girl like that! I thought you were my best friend but you go and say that you have a shit life and you say it to my girlfriend, who was only trying TO HELP YOU!" The last part being bellowed so loud he made his own ears ache a bit.

Harry looked up from his spot on the floor, eyeing the wand Ron had pulled during his spiel with a look that could only be described as pure unadulterated rage that was a cold as ice and sharper than a basilisk tooth. Harry stood slowly, gathering his wits about him and blocking the pain from his hopefully not broken trickling nose. Harry stood his magic rippling around him and the room in waves of fury and revenge, Hermione was still standing in the same spot gapping at the raw power Harry was producing and with a brain still frozen from the implications of his earlier speech to her. Ron who had taken a couple of steps backwards rage almost gone, replaced with something akin to uneasy fear as Harry's eyes burned their way into him making his very skin itch. Harry raised his hand at Ron and muttered "Understand this." And with those two words all of the power blazing around Harry rushed to obey blasting Ron above and beyond the table and into a heap on top of a chair caught in the uncontrolled blast. As Ron landed with the chair it snapped and splintered, amazingly missing Ron with the slivers but the very impact made his ribs ache and head fuzzy.

After surveying the damage he had caused in the kitchen and the look of shock still on Hermione's face Harry turned and left upstairs to his room, the rage dying down into an odd empty feeling. As Harry stumbled into the room he collapsed upon the bed ignoring the blood that he was getting everywhere only then just realising the amount of power he seemed to be missing from his natural energy pool. "Ahhhdam I'm notgonna bee wakinggg up sooon," Harry slurred as he succumbed to the sirens call that was unconsciousness.

With a quiet "pop" Kreacher apparated into the master bedroom which Harry had claimed after making peace with Sirius's memory. The sight that met his large eyes was an unconscious and fully clothed Harry lying on the bed with blood dripping slowly from his nose. "Oh master." Kreacher whispered softly, sadness for his master clearly bleeding through his voice. "Your friends will understand sir, I'm sure that they won't break their bonds with you." Kreacher mourned for he could feel the drain Harry's wandless magic had created and the very way his emotions were jumbled and messed up through their bond.

With a swish of his hand the blood cleared away and the trickling slowed to a stop, with a click of his fingers Harry was tucked into bed with his pyjamas on and with a silent pop he disappeared into the downstairs kitchen.

As Kreacher appeared in the shadows of the kitchen he observed the occupants of the room, anger whispering in his ear that his master must be revenged but he knew that doing so would just make matters worse. Ron was holding onto the edge of the table, gripping it so hard his fingers where white.

"Bloody hell! What just happened? Ohh my ribs hurt and so does my head." As Ron proclaimed this he looked towards Hermione, hoping to get some sympathy points after standing up for her. Hermione just stared back blankly.

"Ron, what have we done? What have you done? You hit him and the worst thing is he's right, he has been through so much." The tears were starting to fill her large brown eyes and she was only just holding herself back from complete hysterics.

"What do you mean 'Mione, he was complaining he had it bad? And the thing that really got me was that he blamed you along with it!"

"He wasn't blaming me, he was telling me it, to make sure I would stop pestering him about something he has had experience in since god knows when. He has the ability to deal with things that no-one else can and learn from it, he learnt maturity and we took it for withdrawing upon himself and depression. What fools we have been!" Hermione was openly crying, the tears streaming down her face.

Ron painfully made his way around the table towards his girlfriend, putting his arm around her he said "We didn't know, he didn't tell us so we aren't to blame and I don't care if what he said was true or not but that he said it to you in a way that was rude and disrespectful."

Hermione laughed, through her tears. "Ron you are such a dunderhead, but a sweet dunderhead." As Kreacher watched Ron and Hermione both feel into contemplative silence, Hermione wondering what she could do to fix things and Ron remembering the time he left Harry alone during the Tri-wizard Tournament and when he had to break out a starved Harry Potter from his own relative's house.

Kreacher apparated into the light of the room to "Officially" announce his presence. Both of the occupants jumped and Ron groaned from the sudden pain the movement had caused, Kreacher just looked at them in a disappointed and disapproving manner then waved his hand and did a little pattern with his fingers and the room cleared up with the chair reforming to its usual unbroken state.

"Master Harry, has gone to bed as he was feeling unwell and needed time to deal with what you two caused."

Funnily enough it was Ron who really seemed shamed with his actions; he knew that a proper house elf trusted their master completely and that they were loyal to them. Obviously Kreacher knew that Harry was perfectly fine and blamed them for sticking their nose into someone else's business and smelling the wrong thing. "Sorry Kreacher, I will apologise to him when he wakes. Is he ok? I hadn't meant to hit him but I just lost control." Ron said feeling ashamed and wishing he hadn't been so brash and had thought before acting.

"I will alert you when Harry is ready Ron sir, in the meantime you should be sitting and then drink this." Kreacher replied his demeanour softening and summoning a potion at the same time. "Drink this sir as it is a special Anti-Bruising and pain relieving potion. You should feel better almost immediately."

After he had Ron settled and medicated he took one last glance about noticing a broken plate blasted into a corner by Harry's magic and Hermione who had finally pieced herself together and was starting to discuss what to say to Harry with Ron. With a twiddle of his fingers the plate fixed up and returned to the shelf and with a click of his fingers he apparated away to Harry's room to make sure he was still comfortable.


End file.
